7 Facts about Pitbull & Husky Mix (A.K.A. Pitsky)

If you’re looking for a loyal dog that creates an incredible bond with her owner, then look no further than the Pitbull Husky Mix (A.K.A. Pitsky). I find this crossbreed surprising, not just because of how different their parent breeds are, but also because most puppies have both nice temperaments and wonderful looks.

However, a crossbreed is always full of surprises, so I’ve put together some interesting facts about Pitskies, to help you have a clear idea what you’ll be dealing with once you bring this dog home.

1. You can’t know how your adult dog will develop

Just like her name tells us, a Husky Pitbull Mix is a crossbreed between a purebred American Pit Bull Terrie﻿r and a purebred Siberian Husky, or a hybrid Alaskan Husky. Generally, mixed-breed dogs tend to have moderate temperaments, but they can also inherit any of their parents’ characteristics, sometimes in unpredictable combinations.

When getting a Pitsky, this translates into:

no one can guarantee the size and appearance of your dog. Dogs from this cross breed come in various sizes, generally between 19 and 24 inches tall (48 - 61 cm) and weighing from 30 to 70 pounds (13.5 - 31 kg). When you buy a puppy, you can’t know how large she’s going to grow.

your dog’s coat can be either short or long. If she looks more like her Pit Bull parent, she’ll have a short coat, which is easy to maintain and requires brushing once or twice a week. If she inherits the Husky’s appearance, you’ll have a dog with a thick and often harsh coat, that needs to be brushed once every two days. Colors also vary, but darker shades are usually more common among these dogs.

she could have hereditary diseases. Usually they’re a healthy dog, with a 12-15 year lifespan. However, depending on her family history, as an adult your dog can develop a series of health conditions. Hyperthyroidism is the most common among both parent breeds, but she can also face allergies, eye problems, hip dysplasia and heart disease.

2. A Husky Pitbull Mix doesn’t like to be alone

These dogs are very attached to their owners, and they love spending time with their human families. It’s what everyone expects from a dog, but it also comes with a price. You should be aware that, once you have a Pitsky, you should organize your schedule to leave your dog home alone as little as possible. Otherwise, they have a tendency to develop depression, separation anxiety, destructive behavior, and eventually she’ll become aggressive.

If you know you’ll have to leave your dog all by herself a few hours every day, start crate training when she’s still young. By offering your dog a den of her own where she feels safe and protected, you can minimize the effects of loneliness and keep her safe when you can’t watch over her.

When you work long hours, make sure one of your family or friends can come over to spend time with your dog, or take her to a dog daycare where she can have some company.

3. A Pitsky is a good family dog

This dog loves to be around children of all ages. She’s playful, affectionate, and very loyal. When playing, she can become too enthusiastic, and even jump on you, but you’ll be able to control this behavior once you start training. If properly trained and socialized, she can also get along well with other pets, even if some of these dogs enjoy chasing a squirrel or a cat every now and then.

In most cases, a Pitsky is friendly with strangers, too. However, she won’t hesitate to react if you or your family are in danger. She’s not number one when it comes to great watchdogs, but I still find her strength and stamina intimidating.

4. Your dog will need obedience training

No matter what temperament she inherits, your Pitsky needs consistent training from an early age. Both her parent breeds can be hard to handle when they’re not properly trained, so besides housebreaking, you’ll have to teach her to obey. Luckily she’s intelligent, and always looking to please her owner, which gives you the possibility to train her by yourself.

Obedience training should start when your puppy is about 6-7 weeks old. Use positive reinforcement only to teach your dog how to follow your commands. She’s a fast learner, and you’ll see progress right from the first weeks. However, be consistent and firm, as these dogs tend to have strong personalities and she might try to become the pack leader in your home.

In some cases, Huskies tend to be stubborn and difficult to train and there’s a possibility your dog inherits this characteristic. If you don’t have any results with training, consider seeking help from a professional trainer.

5. Goodbye, couch! Hello running shoes

This dog will keep you in good shape.

A Pitsky needs to burn off her extra energy, and she has a lot of it, coming from two parents with high energy levels. Buy new and comfortable sports shoes, because you’ll have to give her at least two long walks every day, and some trips to the dog park several times a week. She’s also a good companion if you like running, jogging, or hiking.

These dogs love to play, whatever the weather:

Besides physical activity, your dog will also need mental stimulation. Combine obedience training sessions with entertaining dog games and scatter feeding, to keep your dog’s mind busy, so she doesn’t get bored. 15 minutes during which your dog has to stay focused on something will make her more tired than a long walk.

A Pitbull Husky Mix needs a yard where she can run and move freely. Without enough exercise, she’ll become hyperkinetic and she’ll make your house a mess, because she loves to chew. This makes her unsuitable for small apartments and owners with no free time.

6. Besides exercising, you should make time for grooming and cleaning

A Husky Pitbull Mix sheds all year round, no matter which parent’s traits she inherits. You’ll deal with hair all the time, with higher intensity during spring and fall, when it’s shedding season for both the Pitbull and the Husky. Consistent brushing can reduce the amount of hair, but you’ll still need a pet hair vacuum cleaner to keep your home clean.

Besides brushing, you should also take time to deal with her several other needs:

cleaning her ears once every two weeks,

trimming her nails, when needed,

brushing her teeth several times a week,

bathing her once every two months or when needed.

7. Pitskies are masters of escape

Most of these dogs inherit the Husky’s ability to find themselves a way out from any enclosure, so check your yard before bringing your Pitsky home. It’s not just about jumping - they can also dig holes under the fence, as both the Pitbull and the Husky are excellent diggers. If you have flowers or other plants in your garden, don’t give your dog free access to them. Otherwise you might lose everything as a result of her passion for digging.

Always use the leash when taking your dog outside, at least until you’re absolutely sure she’s trained well enough to return to your command, no matter what distractions are out there.

Conclusion

A Pitsky is a great choice for active families, thanks to her loyalty, cuteness, and mild temperament. Sometimes she can be stubborn, but I think this small issue can be solved with training, so I wouldn’t give up on such a great dog so easily.

What information do you have about these dogs? Do you have a Pitsky, or would you like to bring one home? Tell us what you think in the comments box below.

About Animalso

I was raised to be a dog person. My first shepherd grew up as I did and wanted to be where I was at all times. I got my second dog as a 16th birthday present, and her loyalty for me was just as strong as my first. I hope that my contribution to Animalso will help others find dogs who give them that same unconditional love.

I have one she is 15 weeks and I already feel that strong connection with her…. It took me a week to train her to do her bath outside… so far she nows more than 7 commands and she perfectly obay all of them when she’s with me only, but when there’s other people around she doesn’t listen to me much, all she wants is play with the ones around… for good when she’s not obeying around other people all I need is put on my mad voice and look… she alredy got a lot energy on her…. and bleave or not she’s being with me for just a month… feel like I have known her for years….

My husband and I just brought home our bundle of fur joy!!! His name is Dallas!! 8 weeks old. He’s loyal, gentle, snuggly, rambunctious!! And SMART!!! They are excape artist, his nickname is Houdini! I’ve had pitts my while life. After my 12 year old passed :,( I wanted another one…. my husband wanted a husky…. Than we found him…. He is a pitt/husky/lab mix!!!! Gorgeous!!!! With blue/green eyes. He gets a little nippy when playing but has learned OUCH, NO BUTE quickly. And we are close to being house broken. He is a chewer… needs lots of toys…. only thing he has done is excaped from his crate once…( house was intact). We LOVE him!!! Great Dog! Excited to raise him!!!!

I have a 3-year-old, 55 lb. female Pitsky, and I find almost all of the above information to be true. It was a lot of work to train her, but worth it. She has a wonderful temperament and is loyal and well-behaved, although she gets overwhelmed easily, so she’s shy of strangers and doesn’t like the dog park. I find that playing fetch with her or walking her for 45 min. to an hour is enough exercise to keep her happy, but she will gladly go for longer. She also loves children!

Hi I have a pitsky. She’s 10 weeks old and is starting to get aggressive when playing. She’s constantly trying to bite our hands and our clothes. When I try to tell her no with a stern voice she barks, tries to snap at us and gets rough. Is this normal and how can I stop it? She won’t listen to anyone. I’m afraid it’s going to get worse when she’s older and I won’t be able to control her.

Hi Jennie! I am considering a pitsky right now so I don’t have direct experience with the breed – but when my pitbull was younger she was pretty rough and even bit my face by accident. Certain dogs don’t seem to react well to firm reprimands (hey some people are the same way) – I let her know she hurt me by whimpering and ignored her for about 30 minutes. Either she realized she hurt me from the squeal I gave or ignoring her did the trick – but she was gentle with me and others after that. Just an idea!

Be patient and CONSISTENT. All family members must get on board with training. Yelp loudly if she bites/ nips Tell her NO BITE. Withdraw attention. Play time is over if she bites. Do NOT hit her at all. If she escalates, roll her over, gently but file hold her, making eye contact and saying NO. Hold until she stops resisting.

Mine was doing the same thing. We are still working on it but have minimized it by being the alpha. We have “pushed” her to lay down and laid on her and a little pressure on the ear works too. After a couple of times she got the picture. Play time resumes after that. Every once in a while she needs a reminder. It is nothing that hurts her. The problem we are having now is she is a ninja at getting stuff out of the trash can, guess it’s time for one with a lid.

Where can I get a husky pitbull mix? I live in Indiana and I love both breeds. I have a German Shephard and he need a sister to play with and can keep with his energy. A year ago I had to but my pit german shepherd mix down she had liver disease and it was so bad there was no help for her. So I want to get another dog for my baby boy so that he’s not so lonely when I go to work. So I want to know where I can get one and how much they would be?

Hey i just got my pitsky and hes having trouble adapting to my other husky but incase anyone wants a pitsky i know someone who can help you… I just got minw from this breeder and has 3 more left…she lives in Tyler TX and the rehoming fee is $150..

It’s better to take them outside right after waking up, after feeding or water break, after a couple hours, or before bedtime. My bf is a morning person so he would take out the pitsky out between 7-10am then feed and eventually I’ll get up to take them outside. When he pees in the house, he’s taught it’s a no and we take him outside every time. It toook a whole month after we brought him in at 3 months. And we’ve continued that schedule which has helped a lot. He doesn’t poop or pee in the kennel. We’ve had accidents like him peeing on couches and blankets but those are one time things after telling them no and taking them outside.

We live in Toronto Ontario and we have a 15 month old Pitsky named Lady Darko which we brought from Texas. She is friendly and great to have around. Im worried because she has lost 10 lbs and we don’t know why. Took her to vet and they are running some tests. My daughter has had her since she was 6 weeks and spoils her since then. I think it is because she doesn’t eat until my daughter gets home and she gets home very late at night from work. I think she maybe depressed. She is house trained but has never received any kinda formal training. I wish I could walk her but Im not strong enough and she doesn’t respond to my commands. Pulled leash and popped my finger once, so now Im afraid to take her out. She is allowed in and out to the backyard and sometimes dog park but not often. Is she too old to receive proper professional training?

She definitely isn’t to old for training! I started with mine 4 months ago when she was about 19 months old. I adopted her and went on training right away and she still is learning so much every day!

It is true that they can be attached to one person, but still she can be taught to listen to you.

If you want to start with a little training in house, try to start training with her as if you are training a puppy. Take some treats and let her sit, lay down, stay, etc. Sure she may know these commands already but it will get to her mind that you are also someone to be trust, someone who gives commands which have to be obeyed (in the begining for treats ofcourse 😉 ).

Then just build from there, try to walk with her in house on the leash, when she pulls just stop, tell her to come and let her sit next to you; then continue. Most importantly: be consistent.

For the eating part it could get betyer as you bond more with her so she trusts you more and sees you as one of her highers. Also it could be very likely not going to happen, it isn’t really that uncommon for some dogs to eat (more) when their owner(/preffered person) is home.

I think best is to let your daughter make some time to encourage her to eat when she is home. I just plain simple tell my dog in a excited way “go eaty eaty” (in my language ofcourse xD)

For the dog it isn’t a problem if she eats late or early as long as she eats well, my dog mostly eats when I am laying in my bed (eats/sleeps next to me), so this could be an option.

I have a pitsky and he is the most loyal, loving dog. Everything above describes him perfectly EXCEPT he doesnt really like kids or other dogs. Hes not mean or aggressive toward them, he just simply avoids them. He listens to any and every command given.

Our sweet pit kyah will be having a litter of pitskies this coming May and we are wanting to keep one since we will spay her after this year after the pups have gone home to their furever homes!!! This was very informative, kyah is laid back, and gentle and the dad is a full blooded husky and he is the sweetest pup so I’m hoping these pups will be laid back and beautiful like their parents are

I have an 11 month old pitsky. I absolutely love him and he forms a bond with all who he meets. He loves people and other animals. His worse habits are digging and talking back. He doesn’t bark much at all but when he wants something he talks and talks…. I don’t think I would ever own another breed, he’s perfect

I too have a mouthy 8 mo old Pitsky named Niko! I agree he hardly ever barks( in fact I try teaching him to bark when someone comes to my door but NOTHING) unless he’s crated and then it’s not even a bark just weird noises Awesome dog FULL of energy!!

We have a puppy we’ve had for 3 weeks and it scares me how smart he is. He’s bonded to us so quickly and has learned so many commands and he’s only 11 weeks. I wasn’t prepared when my fiancé surprised me with him (especially since we have cats and other smaller breed rescues) but crate training him has led to an easy transition. Now he puts himself to nap and has even bonded with our cats! I would recommend this breed to anyone that can dedicate the time to train them, our little pup has been a blessing.

I have a 2 year old girl. She is 40 pounds. Rescued from another person when she was 5 months old. I have had a few different breed of dog in my life and she is by far the most loving. She has started to get protective of anyone involved in a fight, dog or human. We have trained her around ferrets so we can give all the animals the freedom they need. She is incredibly smart and loves pulling us on a skateboard. This has been our best way to ensure she gets the proper amount of exercise. She still cannot be off leash because her immediate reaction to run. Since she lives to be chased, catching her takes a lot of effort. I did not have the right amount of energy for her at first but I thinking finally up to her speed.

I rescued Goliath from a couple who found themselves homeless. Even though he was nicknamed Houdini by my boyfriend’s mom, because he could get off any chain I put him on, he doesn’t ever try to escape his yard. No I do not keep him tied up, only if I take him someplace that is not fenced in. He has a very strong bond with me, that I sure agree with. Yes he sure sheds all year round! This is a family/pack dog, not a put out in the back yard and forgot about dog. He does so much better being part of the family, its hard to do the basic training if you do not make them a part of the family. I mean how is your dog going to learn your behaviors and what you expect from him, and your body language if you keep him outside all the time and don’t spend at least an hour or more every day with him? And YES!! They hate to be alone! He loves to go outside and run and jump, but he is also a lazy couch potato for most of the day. My son has his half brother from another mother. He loves to dig, which I hate! I am constantly raking the dirt back into the trenches he digs looking for moles and gophers. My Pitsky is more like a person then a dog.

We have a 10 week old male Pitsky. He is definitely a handful. He is always chewing on me but when he does I give him a chewtoy. Stubborn and we are in the process of training him. He goes on puppy pads(NOTE FROM EDITOR: Purchase from Amazon here) and let’s US know when he needs to go #2. He is getting use to his kennel, but we still may seek professional help. We love him dearly and he returns that love affectionately.

We just adopted a Pitsky from the human society! Beautiful blue eyes black and white absolutely love him he is 4 yea old male. Loves to go on walks with me he’s a big boy 75 pounds but he walks like a champ!! Great dog love him so much. Good with little kids too!! Does not like cats!!

My family and I just rescued a pitsky. He bites a lot and when we say no or hit his muzzle a bit he goes after you. We dont know how old he is exactly but do you have any tips for that? He also has the issue with wanting to play with our female cocker spaniel and bites at her as well. What can we do or should we do to fix this? Extra Information (his name,colors,reactions) We named him Cracker His colors he is devoloping are black grey and a darker white

If he bites, say no and quit the game; also send him to his place/bench/pillow. If he doesn’t go to his place when told, just force him by walking to him and ‘claiming’ your space till he is at his place. If he vomes off right away after you did that, tell him to go to his place again. Claim your space towards his place if you have to.

This can tale a while and you should really do it till he listens; either because of being tired of being send back or because he accepts it. I have had a time where I had done this for over an hour with my Pitsky because she decided she wanted to go to the backyard, while I was like ‘euhm no, you are going to livingroom’. (And some other situations as well xD ) but it gets better!!

He has to understand that playing is fine, but biting is not and that you are the one who decides when something starts and finishes.

About the ‘biting’ to your other dog, usually they should solve it together but I guess your other dog is just such a sweetheart that leta him get away with it. You could try to stop him when he does it again and send him to his place aswell, more like a time-out. Would also be great to envounter a balanced dog who knows how to properly tell yours that he/she is not happy with his biting, but be carefull with that! Some dogs can react a little to hard possible causing an injury to your or the ither dog! (I know my dog could politely tell yours to go f#ck *ff in a proper manner if he did that, but some dogs (as I said earlyer) can react a little to harsh.)

I hope those are some usefull advice! Let me know if any of it worls and how it goes!

I just adopted a two year old pitsky. I was told a Huskie mix but the pictures and behavior indicate that she is in fact a pitsky. I am having trouble with all commands sit stay and laydown. She pulls hard on our walks so I haven’t been able to take her on many. I let her out in the yard a lot and she has four to play with. Is she getting enough exercise. She chews on kids toys sometimes but will leave it if I tell her no. Help!

You just have to give commands firmly. Make sure she has a cloth/mesh harness on before a walk. This will prevent choking. Only give her a tiny bit of leash until she can be trusted. Every time she pulls, say stop and literally stop moving. That’s where I am at right now! Our dog Peanut seems to be getting better.

Yeah indeed, for me it also really worked to just stop moving when she is pulling, then if you get her attention let her come to you and continue. Be consistent! If I don’t do this at the begin of the walk it gets harder later on; she’ll try me out.

Now when I stop because she is pulling I fo not have to say a word (unless really distracted, then ‘here’ is enough) she will just come by my side, sit and wait for me to move again.

You can do the exact same for following you by the way!, just tell her to follow and; stop and let her come to you when she didn’t stay’d next to you.

But as I already mentioned, be consistent, if you have to do it 10 times within 10 steps; just do it. You will be so happy after that when she starts to learn it 🙂

Great read, you are perfectly describing our dog Max. From what we were told at the animal shelter that we adopted him from, he is a German Shepard/Malamute/ Husky/Pitbull mix. I would like to post a picture, seeing as we have never seen a dog like him before. We also have a problem with him nipping at people while they are throwing things, let me add he was abused. But we are still working on fixing this behavior, so far no luck. We haven’t brought him to obedience classes seeing as he is 3 years old. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Does he nip the person when throwing the ball or ‘aggresively’ trying to take the ball?

Of he does like to go after the ball then you could start with introducing him to the ball, just lay it infront of him and let him smell, touch and so. Then try to build it up from there, move the ball on the ground with your hands (just over the surface). If that goes well, go on your knees and slide/throw (just an inch of the ground at maximum first) to the other side of the room. Let him get used to the fact that something is moving around him. Try to gradually build that up to throwing the ball just like you would do normally.

If that works and he still nips at people throwing other objects (frisbee’s for example), try to build it up with random objects; this can probably be done faster then the first time with the ball but you got to check how your dog is reacting.

I really think he can still learn it (or unlearn it better said) , he is still young; try to give it a positive vibe instead of the megative vibe he is in when someone throws something. I have a almost 2 year old Pitsky for 4 months now and have learned her so any new things! Ranging from not jumping to walking next to me by my side, and from ignoring (barking) dogs to (still working on it) not going in the water to play with the ducks xD (yes, she only wants to play but the ducks don’t get it 😛 )

Feel free to mail me to chat some more by the way! Would love to see a photo of your sunshine.[email protected]

I have a 2 and a half year old pitsky and he is the absolute best dog I’ve ever had. I’ve always had huskies and bought him as a purebred without papers and only saw the mom on site. As a puppy he looked 100% husky but as he got older i noticed some things changing. I bought the doggy DNA test and got the results back and sure enough he’s half Siberian husky half pit bull, but I don’t regret a thing, by far the most loyal, friendly, smart, obedient, quirky pup! And he’s beautiful. As a pup he was very nippy too and always talked back when being disciplined. I kept on him and he grew out of it. He’s great off leash, never any separation anxiety, has the run of the whole house while away for work and great with kids and other dogs. High prey drive though so rodents don’t stand a chance. I will say I’ve never had a dog that sheds so much it’s constant…but worth it. I highly recommend this breed to anyone looking for a family dog.

I have a beautifull pitsky, she is almost 2 years now and I adpoted her 4 months ago. She had a bad start, previouse owner was a drug and alcohol addict….

All by all within a week she was already so attached to me! Just so wonderfull to see. Also she is very kind and gentle with my cat (so is my cat by the way 😉 ), they are great friends now. With other dogs (and animals in general) and humans she is very kind, but also doesn’t let anyone walk over her :P, she stands her ground when needed but also does this in a appropiate manner.

About the training you are definitely right, very intelligent but they also can be so dahm stubborn xD. Mine sometimes gets to excited when I praise her while doing a task that she forgets the task xD, so in case yours also has this; just don’t praise her at that moment, she is concentrating! xD Also in case she is doing something you don’t want while for example playing with her and she accidently ‘bites’ your hand, just tell her ‘No’, quit the game and ignore her for a moment (even when she barks, howls or cries); they are so attached to you that they really really want to play, so by waiting you tell them to not do that again and they won’t: because they want to play! And remember: bad attention still is attention.

Hi Kevin, Looks like a lot of our readers want to post images in comments 🙂 I will try to find a solution for that! Also going to do functionality which will allow you get emails when someone replies to your comment! Hopefully, I’ll be able to run it before autumn.

What can I say I’m in love with Ivory my 5 month old Pitsky she knows sit lie down (verbal) and finger snap comands) when she is ready to eat she will bring you her bowl she learned this on her own. She whines in her create when she needs out and has only had 3 accidents I love Pitt bulls and had a husky named Bear when I was 7 best choice I have made.

I adopted my 3-4month old pitsky about a week ago, Akelah. She was spayed the day before we adopted her. I often leave her in her kennel so she can have a fast recovery. I let her out to roam around the house and to potty on her pupp pads play and train her the badic commands atleast 5 times a day for an hr an hr n a half. She is so energetic! Downside is also that she has only had her first shot so we’re asked to keep her inside until all her parvo shots i’m afraid that maybe she will become aggressive and disobedient because she’s not allowed to do very much in this situation. I want to prevent a misbehaved adult dog in the future. Will we be okay by the time is allowed in public to still train her to behave well?

Hey, I believe that my pit-bull might be pregnant with a Husky that got into our yard. Do you know if she will be able to hold them? What is the average litter size and the average cost that people sell them for? -when they are old enough.

Affiliate Disclosure

Animalso.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.